A blue-grey she-cat padded up quietly, her pelt flickering with stars. Her blue eyes were sad and happy at the same time.
"Are you ready, Whitestorm?" She purred softly, gazing at her nephew with love. Her sister and Whitestorm's mother, Snowfur, watched with wide, joyous eyes. Mosskit wreathed in between her mother's legs, peeking out to watch her older cousin every so often.
"Why does he get to get a new life and not me?" Mosskit squeaked. "Your time will come soon, my love." Bluestar reassured her daughter. Stonefur stood cautiously near his mother, his tail flicking to gently rest on his mother's back.
"If only Mistystar was here." Stonefur murmured, his gaze clouding as he thought of his sister, alive and well. Willowpelt watched with sorrow, and Brindleface also stood there, looking rather possessive of Whitestorm. Altogether, their five deceased children watched with wide eyes. Sootfur, Rainwhisker, and Sorreltail stood to one side, while Ashfur and Ferncloud watched from beside Brindleface. Their gazes all clung to their father. Whitestorm himself looked nervous and excited.
"Are you sure this will work?" He whispered to Bluestar for the fourth time that hour. He looked a bit kit-like, despite his middle age at the time he died.
"Um, mostly, yes." Bluestar mumbled. Snowfur narrowed her eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean? It worked with Cinderpelt, did it not? And Lionheart? And… and…" She was running out of examples. Her white face looked depressed as she stepped closer to her son protectively.
"It's still in its working phase." Bluestar smiled weakly. "I'm afraid no promises can be made." Bluestar then turned to her daughter, Mosskit. "That's why we're waiting, Mosskit, for your reincarnation." Bluestar assured her daughter.
"Joy. I'm a test subject." Whitestorm mumbled. He looked even more dreadfully nervous. "Can we just get this over with?" He finally moaned. His fluffy white tail lashed. Bluestar nodded and stepped forward, resting her chin on top of her nephew's head. He closed his eyes and tensed his muscles, waiting bracingly. Bluestar began to mumble incoherent, ancient words, and Whitestorm began to feel very dizzy. Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light and Whitestorm disappeared. Bluestar blinked rapidly.
"Well?" Snowfur demanded. Her blue eyes were wide with intensity. Bluestar slowly turned around, wincing, her face beseeching.
"I think." Bluestar said slowly. "I just turned your son into a Twoleg." Bluestar confessed. Snowfur's wide, pretty eyes mirrored the rest of Whitestorm's kin: utter shock and bewilderment.
"My son!" Snowfur sobbed, wailing as she threw herself on the ground. Bluestar slumped onto the ground, her blue eyes defeated.
"I'm sorry, sis." She murmured into her sister's fur, but Snowfur threw her off. Mosskit started bouncing around.
"He's a Twoleg? That's so cool! Can I be a Twoleg? Wait, no, Twolegs are icky. CAN I BE A BADGER?" Mosskit giggled and squealed and this made her aunt cry harder.
"He'll be okay, I'm sure. Let's take this to Thunder and see if we can't work this out." Bluestar said weakly. She slowly lifted up her sister, Stonefur helping, and they proceeded to drag their inconsolable relative through the misty wood. Brindleface and Willowpelt exchanged unreadable expressions, and Whitestorm's children looked as if they were in shock.
"I brought juniper berries! In case the excitement is too much to handle!" Goosefeather trilled as he whisked into view, his wild blue eyes sparkling. He stopped as he saw the stony faces of his kin.
"Shut up, Goosefeather." Brindleface spat uncharacteristically. Then she broke down sobbing. Goosefeather looked alarmed.
"A little late to the party, am I?" He cautiously stepped forward. Willowpelt stumbled up to him.
"Y'know, maybe I will take some juniper berries." Whitestorm's mate said dully.
"Plenty more where this came from! Rainwhisker, Sorreltail? Sootfur, Ferncloud?" He said brightly. They all shook their heads in synchronization.
"Hey, why don't I get offered any?" Ashfur cried indignantly. Goosefeather turned to face Ashfur, his eyes suddenly dark and foreboding.
"Because you're evil." Goosefeather spat, and promptly whisked away, Willowpelt crying in protest as he took the berries with him.